Cathal Crowe
Ceist:92. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider extending Tús and CES employment placements in view of interruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. [57696/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 25 November 2021
Ceisteanna (92)
Freagraí scríofa
As the Deputy may be aware, CE and Tús participants whose contracts were originally due to finish during periods of Government restrictions, going back to October 2020, have had their contracts extended on a number of occasions. This ensures participants and schemes were supported during periods of COVID related public health restrictions and while getting back to normal level of activity so that participants can complete their education, training and work experience and schemes can maintain vital community services.
Last month, Minister Humphreys and I announced further extensions of CE and Tús participant contracts, to the start of February 2022. This means that over 23,000 CE and Tús participants are benefitting from a number of contract extensions dating back to October 2020.
From February 2022 the conclusion of participant contracts will be undertaken on a coordinated and phased basis and will continue until January 2023. This will ensure continuity of service delivery and will also support recruitment of new participants.
My Department has moved to restore activation services to pre-pandemic levels and is prioritising the referral and recruitment of eligible jobseekers to CE and Tús. My Department is also considering initiatives to strengthen and further support the referral process from the Intreo Offices to individual CE and Tús schemes.
My priority and the priority of the Department is to support CE and Tús schemes to get back to providing normal services, providing valuable opportunities to long term unemployed persons, supporting participants and delivering valuable services to local communities.